Desperate Measures
by Tinderbox of Sanity
Summary: Daniel's nightmares aren't the only thing keeping him up at night. As it is, he'll go mad before he can survive these terrible trials in his life. But what he needs isn't something he knows how to ask for.
1. Chapter 1

Daniel didn't know when it had started; he only knew that it was getting worse.

At first, Daniel only thought that he was feeling this way because of the acceptance. The protectionthat Alexander provided for him was the only positive thing that the Englishman had experienced for months. The immediate pull towards the older man was instant, and it was strong. The Baron was patient with him; teaching him the ways of the old castle as he showed him around. But it wasn't just Alexander's knowledge that Daniel was attracted to, as he was soon to discover.

Those eyes which followed his every move began to feel like an itch on the Englishman's shoulders. He quickly became hyperaware of his actions because of this. Everything would be scrutinized and judged, and Daniel wanted it to all be for the best! Any mistake that he made—and he made plenty, would earn him that small furrow of pale brows. Such a small expression created a coldness in the pit of Daniel's stomach, and there it would sit for the rest of the day.

Alexander's _hands _had come in to play soon after he had arrived. When his nightmares had become bad enough to warrant the Baron coming into his room to wake him; those long, elegant fingers had gently brushed the bangs from his sweat-dampened forehead. They had felt cool against his feverish skin, and their texture was surprisingly calloused for someone who was of noble heritage as Alexander claimed he was. Daniel's nightmares were what pressed the Baron to impart upon him the knowledge of how to create wards against the Shadow. Those aged hands would wrap around Daniel's own, guiding them to create patterns with the paint and the knife; so complex that he never would have managed on his own. It lessened the disapproving gazes that he received, which took away the coldness in his stomach.

Alexander was taller than the Englishman, which meant that he had to lean _over _the back of the younger man in order to guide his hands at times. Daniel began to make up excuses in order to get the Baron to do so, asking as many questions as he could just to hear Alexander's deep voice right up close to his ear, and the older man's body nearly against his own. Daniel _knew _that it was wrong, and he always felt terribly guilty afterwards. Those hands on his skin, eyes on his actions, voice in his ear, and body just _inches _from his own quickly became an obsession.

Those four elements were all that his dreams needed in order to become the most delicious of nightmares. While he slept, Daniel could feel Alexander's calloused fingertips sliding over every inch of his sweat-slicked skin. That penetrating gaze would show nothing but _appraisal _of the Englishman's lithe body, guiding those fingers to examine each imperfection or blemish that they came across. Alexander's voice would _command _obedience, not a far cry from when the younger man was awake. Only that now, Alexander would say such _obscene _things, and demand equally sinful acts to match. In those dreams, he would make use of Daniel's body in every way possible.

In his nightmares, the Baron would use the Englishman's own body against him, sexually torture him for _hours—_or so it felt like it in his dreams. Pain and pleasure were one and the same in twisted little fantasies in which Daniel's body could be absolutely _ruined _and _still _wake him up feeling unfulfilled. Sometimes he could even feel phantom aches in parts of his body which had been used so very vigorously in his dreams. Daniel's jaw would ache, and he swore his _nether _orifice would even feel sore! The dreams came so often now, and became so vivid, that to his great despair the Englishman found himself unable to bring _himself _any relief at all! No matter how close he might be when he awoke in the middle of the night, erection hard and throbbing in desperate need, his own hand would prove useless. He could stroke himself until his skin was sore, but it was futile! And it wasn't as if he had any time during the day!

If he didn't do something about this soon, his incubus dreams were going to drive him mad.

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There was only so much that one man could take. Nightmares began to blend into his reality. When your every waking moment was spent dealing pain and giving death to others, even the most awfully blissful of his incubus nightmares were heaven to the exhausted Englishman. Perhaps that was why the torture had worked its way in to his dreams. Or was it the other way around?

Daniel's hand was shaking, and each slip of the dagger only made the condemned man scream louder through his gag. He'd painted the lines well enough, but he swore they were _moving _like snakes across the prisoner's naked skin now! It wasn't his fault! He hadn't slept in _days_! What naps he had stolen were usually in place of meal times, where he preferred to curl up somewhere brightly lit and dose lightly, waking at even the slightest noise. Reaching up with his free hand to wipe the sweat from his brow, he gave a small sound of dismay when he felt something hot and wet spread over it instead. His bangs clung to the back of his hand as he pulled it away, seeing the blood there. He could remember when the sight of blood made him feel faint, and the sound of screams evoked a deep seeded fear into the pit of his belly. Now, these things were only an annoyance.

"Daniel, you're shaking." Alexander's rich voice spoke up from behind him, sending a spike of panic straight through the Englishman's chest. His heart began to race, and if he thought he had been sweating before, he felt a fresh tingling chill come to remind him. The young man couldn't even answer right away, lips slightly slack and breath shallow, his vision as unsteady as his hands. "Here, let me help you." Those words echoed within his hollow skull, allowing his treacherous mind to recall that very statement from many of his dreams. Before he could say no, there was a hand around his own. Those long fingers were cool against Daniel's feverish skin, strong and firm as they forced his own to close around the dagger's hilt. Alexander gave a quiet sound, one that vibrated up from his throat the way a growl might; displeasure. It made Daniel's heart skip a beat, and yet his fear was inseparably tainted with anticipation. "You've gotten sloppy."

"_I'm sorry._" Daniel's voice trembled in his throat.

"Nonsense," Alexander countered, like Daniel's kinder dreams, and the Englishman's knees felt like water. The Baron guided his hand down the next painted line, filling the room with the man's muffled screams anew. "You just have to focus." No, this wasn't what he wanted! He didn't crave _work, _he craved _pleasure. _Sometimes, if he tried hard enough, _focused, _Daniel could change the course of his dreams. That was the only thought in his mind as he pressed back against the Baron's taller body, feeling his own damp clothes press against Alexander's cooler, clean ones. "Easy now," Alexander chided, and he felt the older man's body tense in order to make up for that extra weight. Did he think that Daniel was feeling faint? "A little more. _Focus._" Heedless of Daniel's unkempt hair, Alexander leaned in close to his ear to speak, made easier by their shifted position. Daniel was practically bent over the altar that the prisoner was restrained to!

"_I am_!" Daniel gripped the knife, watching as Alexander's steady hand guided his own to finish off the hardest part of the design that he had painted, cutting through those painted lines to spill hot, sticky rivers of blood.

"Good," Alexander spoke into his ear. "Now finish it." Daniel felt his breath catch in his throat, and his knees buckled again. The Baron released the knife, but Daniel dropped it to the ground, reaching back to grasp Alexander's wrist before the older man could finish pulling it away.

"_Don't go._" The Englishman whispered, though his grip on Alexander's wrist was weak at best. Alexander only gave another quiet sound of disapproval, and with one quick twist of his wrist he was free.

"Collect yourself, Daniel. Go and wash up for dinner; _I'll _finish things here." The Baron stated as he took a few steps back. Daniel stood on slightly unsteady legs, turning to the older man with a strained expression. Meeting those hard eyes and seeing the stern line of Alexander's thin lips stole all of his courage however, and he only nodded meekly, gathering himself up to head for a bath.

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The water was hot, but Daniel had sunk right down into it gratefully. It burned enough to nearly scald his blood and sweat tainted skin, but he cared little about that right now. More worrisome was how his body had been reacting during a ritual that was gruesome and sinful enough without his sexual deviancy added to it! He hoped, no, prayed that Alexander hadn't noticed. He wanted the Baron, yes, but what if the older man threw him out? Daniel was here to save his own life, and that was all! Oh, what had he been thinking? It wasn't as if he hadn't considered every other option. That this was all some twisted idea that his nightmares had put into his exhausted mind or that Alexander was simply the closest man around. The latter was even more troubling than the first thought, however, because it would mean that Daniel really was that pathetically desperate for sex, no matter the partner.

In his efforts to relieve himself of that fear, he had only made things worse in the end. In watching Alexander closely, examining every move and taking note of each thing that he admired about the older man, the Englishman had merely succeeded in adding kindling to the flame. Alexander was a man of vast knowledge about all things, from alchemy to what could only be called a black magic! Daniel had been on the verge of insanity when he came to Brennenburg, but Alexander had put a stop to that. The calm and collected Baron, the man who had shown him all the castle's secrets and explained to the Englishman what their gruesome task would be in order to set things right.

The water sloshed within the bath as Daniel sat up now, running his fingers through his wet hair. It had taken a bit of time, but he was sure he'd gotten the last of the blood out of it. The water was a strange color of pink, like diluted wine, rippling with his movement and distorting the image of his face into that of an unrecognizable monster. Giving one last grunt of irritation, Daniel set his hands on the sides of the bath, standing swiftly. Water sloshed again, a bit of it splashing out as he stepped over the side. Rivulets of water tickled as they raced over his skin to obey the call of gravity, and droplets went flying as he reached out for the towel. No sooner than he had closed his fingers around the dry fabric than the door opened, and in the space of a second the Englishman forgot all about his inner turmoil.

Forgot it for about another second, that was, for the man standing in the threshold was none other than the man of his dreams and nightmares both. Alexander's expression was completely neutral, those amber eyes catching sight of the Englishman going for his towel and making no move to either step in or leave. Daniel clutched the towel in his hand, pulling in a swift breath that wasn't quite a gasp, standing quickly to cover the front of his waist with it. Only then did Alexander speak, and his voice even seemed a little amused. "My apologies, I thought you would be finished by now."

"H-has it been long?" Daniel's voice was strained, a bit choked. He could feel the water from his hair dripping onto his shoulders to create more rivers racing down his chest and back. It was cold as ice now that he was out of that warm bath!

"Nearly an hour." Alexander confirmed, and Daniel was forced to turn his eyes away when the Baron's gaze seemed to sweep across his barely covered body. The Englishman felt his skin prickling with goose bumps, every hair standing on end. "Dinner is ready. I will expect you down within the next 10 minutes."

"I… I think I might rather get some sleep, a-actually." Daniel was saying before he even knew it, feeling his stomach twisting into knots. The rest of him was cold, but his face and ears were red hot! He'd begun to shiver now, fumbling a little to at least wrap the towel around his waist. His entire body jolted when Alexander stepped forward, and he jerked his gaze back towards the Baron as he stood up straight. Not that it did him much good, as the older man was still taller! "A-A-Alexander?" He prayed that the tremble in his voice could pass for his shivering from the cold. But the Baron didn't answer right away, coming to stop mere inches from the Englishman's wet body and reaching out to touch those calloused fingertips to Daniel's side.

"_Hmmm…_" Alexander trailed those fingertips up from Daniel's waist to his ribs, and over each and every bump that he could reach. The Englishman squirmed slightly, his breath growing short, nearly feeling faint by this point. He was afraid to move, fearful that he might wake and find himself still in the bath! But this was all too _real, _wasn't it? He gave a sigh as the Baron's fingers slid back down, stopping at the towel now low on Daniel's hips. "You've lost weight." The sudden change of direction for his mind was enough to make the younger man blink.

"Have I?" Daniel questioned numbly, not caring in the least just how much he weighed! Alexander was frowning however, and he pulled his hand away. Heart jumping up into his throat, the Englishman suddenly realized that he had been rejected. His arms crossed over his chest, gaze dropping to the floor, throat too tight to speak.

"You will come down to dinner." Alexander's voice was firm, and Daniel was nodding before he could fully register what had been said. The Baron was turning on his heel in the next moment, and Daniel glanced up in time to see him leave the way he had come, closing the door behind him. Covering his mouth with one hand, the Englishman attempted to take several deep breaths through his nose, fighting the urge to get sick. His body couldn't take this stress! He knew that Alexander was right. He had lost several pounds even since arriving at Brennenburg. When you spent your day torturing men and women down in bowels of this very castle, what appetite could he have?

_I can't go on like this. This is a trial, a war on my body and mind. I won't allow myself to go mad like this! I'll do what I have to in order to even things out for as long as possible. Even if it means that I must debase myself for it. I'm sorry, Alexander, but it seems I'll have to insist you do me one more 'favor'!_

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Against all odds, Daniel made it through dinner. It took two and a half glasses of wine just to calm his nerves enough to respond to the questions that he was being asked. More difficult still were the orders he was being given. He felt not unlike a child being told when to eat, when to sleep, and when to do his 'work'. Still the Englishman nodded his head obediently, agreeing to all of Alexander's terms. The Baron had given him something that no one else had yet managed to; hope. Though the rituals were nothing at all like Daniel had imagined they would be, he was alive! And so was Alexander, unlike the wake of death that Daniel had left behind him thus far.

Something new happened at dinner that night; something that made Daniel second guess what he thought had been a clear rejection earlier. The Englishman had been feeling ashamed, and so he couldn't meet Alexander's gaze at first. But between nodding and giving soft answers, he had noticed it. Those amber eyes were back on him, searching him even more than ever before. Daniel began to sweat under his collar, sitting up straight and becoming hyperaware of his every movement once again. Yes, this was how he would do it! How foolish; he should have done this all along instead of fighting it! If he made Alexander want him_, _then Daniel didn't have to embarrass himself!

The Englishman found a small smile forming on his lips, and Alexander seemed curious about it. When questioned, Daniel only confessed to feeling better now that he had eaten, and thanked the Baron for his concern. He drank slowly, licked his lips each chance he got, and worked up the courage to meet Alexander's gaze again. And even though it made his heart race fast enough to make his chest ache, he even let his own eyes wander over the older man's clothed body _while _he was being watched! It felt… _vulgar _somehow, even something as trivial as that! But if you looked at a woman like that, it would be improper wouldn't it? 'Undressing someone with your eyes', wasn't it?

When Daniel had eaten his fill, he was a little dismayed to see that it was only about half of the portion that he had been given. His body protested any more than he'd already had, and he didn't want to chance getting sick, so he settled for distracting the Baron with a bit of conversation instead. Clearing his throat, he smiled as he poked around his plate with his fork, both actions a nervous habit. "Thank you for earlier. I hope you can forgive my mistake. I was very tired, and,"

"Don't mention it." Alexander remarked casually, taking another slow sip from his glass of wine. The glass began to lower again, pausing midway as those amber eyes shifted to the Englishman. "Have you been drinking laudanum again?" To this question Daniel's expression changed slightly, and his nervous smile only grew a little.

"O-of course not. You told me that I needed to cut down. But… it's hard."

"Run out of it too fast and you're going to feel very sick. We don't have time for you to be bedridden, so I suggest you do as I say." Alexander chided, and Daniel swallowed, suddenly feeling very much like a scolded schoolboy. Upset that the conversation had turned out for the worse, the younger man glanced back down to his plate.

"I understand." Daniel responded, frowning now. "It's already been three days since my last vial. I'll drink another tonight, and that will leave me with five." This wasn't good at all! Somehow the mood had gone the complete opposite direction! Swallowing hard, Daniel lifted his gaze just as Alexander opened his mouth to speak. The Englishman was quicker. "Do I look so terrible?" The Baron seemed to startle slightly, that neutral expression shifting into puzzlement for just a moment. "When you… saw me earlier, you remarked that I was thinner," Daniel followed up, "So I wondered if I really look that bad." Alexander's brows drew close together as he lifted his glass again, though he didn't drink. He held it there as if it was a shield between them, hesitating to answer.

"You do not look terrible. A little underweight perhaps, but as long as we keep you fed it will be nothing to worry about." Alexander nearly murmured, directing his attention back to the wine that he was twirling lazily in his glass. Daniel felt his heart pick up a little, rather pleased with himself for turning the conversation over again.

"Thank you." Daniel said quietly, feeling a little flattered. At least his body was acceptable the way that it was! Alexander seemed a little confused over why he had been thanked for that, but he gave a slight nod of his head none the less. "If I may, how long have you been alone in,"

"You should probably head to bed, Daniel. We have an early morning ahead of us." Alexander's voice cut in firmly, and Daniel was shocked into silence for the span of a few quick heartbeats. Finally he swallowed, setting his fork down with a quiet clink of the silver against the china. Scooting his chair out as he stood up, his face was burning with what he felt was the second rejection of the day. Unable to manage even a prompt 'goodnight' with his throat as tight as it was at the moment; Daniel simply gave a small bow of his head before he hurried out of the dining room.

Once the Englishman had returned to the large guestroom, he undressed quickly. Throwing on his knee-length nightgown and heading for the bed, he couldn't shake the terrible feeling that had come over him. How could he be so inept at this? Not that he was particularly skilled to begin with, but Daniel had always considered himself a clever man. Holding a conversation and dropping hints here and there was usually enough to give away your intent, as well as get a reaction from the target of your… your attention! It was how things were done, wasn't it? It wasn't as if he was a woman, who could flash a bit of breast or bat their long lashes, causing men to fawn all over them.

No sooner than the Englishman had gotten himself all wrapped up in his blankets, he felt as if he was suffocating in them. Giving a groan of frustration, he felt the nightmares were coming on already, and he hadn't even fall asleep yet! The scene from earlier was back into his mind, only it wasn't quite as he remembered it. Instead of pulling away, Alexander had held Daniel tight, pressed his hips right against that altar! Even as the prisoner lay bleeding out, the merciless Baron had simply yanked down Daniel's pants and… Blue-green eyes opened to stare up at the ceiling in mournful longing.

This wasn't working at all! Daniel sat up swiftly, pulling the sheets from his body and moving to the edge of the bed. If he couldn't get what he wanted, the least that he could do was get some sleep! This blurry space between reality and nightmares needed to end sooner rather than later. Opening his wardrobe door, he reached in for his old bag. Shifting through it, he found what he was looking for. The little glass vial would offer him a temporary release; hopefully enough for him fall deeply asleep! With the wine he'd already had, it was sure to kick in quickly! Opening the top, Daniel raised the vial and rest the cold glass against his lower lip, tilting his head back and drinking down the bitter contents.

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Daniel had no concept of what time had passed between the time that he had closed his eyes and when he next opened them. His room was still dark, the candle that he'd left burning still glowing brightly. Other than the candle, the pitch black outside his window told him the night was still young, which was… _strange. _He could vaguely remember drifting off to sleep, but he couldn't recall any dreams. It was as if the rest he had longed for had finally come over him, and yet, here he was staring up at the blurry sight of the cloth over the top of his canopy bed.

"_No…_" Daniel groaned in anguish, hands rising to tangle long fingers into his hair. "_Rest, I wanted __**rest**_!" He complained to no one at all, giving an indignant tug of his hair, just enough to cause his scalp to sting. But it was too hot underneath the blankets now, and so he kicked those off as quickly as he could. It wasn't just hot, his heart was racing and his breath felt a little short. Moving over to the side of the bed once more, the Englishman nearly stumbled as he attempted to stand, catching himself on the side of the bed. Picking himself up again, he managed to walk back over to his wardrobe. This time things spilled from his bag as he took a hold of it, reaching in to find another vial of laudanum. One more ought to do it, right? He was so close! Pulling off the top, he drank the second vial.

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The floor was cold against his back as he lay there, some twenty minutes later. Daniel thought to just lie still until the miracle cure kicked in, but he was starting to shiver. His skin was hot to the touch, and so the air around him was becoming increasingly chilly. Not even that unpleasant sensation could shake him at the moment however, for he had gotten what he wished for. Not _sleep, _but _relief_! His chest felt light as a feather, so light that he scarcely needed to breathe! He'd begun to think about earlier, and what exactly had gone wrong. The Englishman chuckled at himself, and how awkward that he'd been behaving towards the Baron.

Alexander was a man, wasn't he? And though he hadn't answered Daniel's question earlier about how long that he had been alone, he was sure it had been quite a while! The way that the older man had handled him up until now, and how he had _watched _the Englishman… Daniel had been desired all along! It was _Alexander _sending him those dreams, he was almost certain. The Baron was such a master of all things, surely he held it in his dominion somewhere, the ability to send dreams like that! At any other time, the Englishman would have laughed at such a farfetched idea, but under the haze of laudanum and wine, he was convinced.

Slowly, Daniel pushed himself into a sitting position. Slower still, he grabbed a hold of the wardrobe to pull himself to stand. Though slightly unsteady he could still walk, and that was all he needed. Grabbing the candle from his nightstand, he left his room. The stone castle floors were cold as ice, but he could barely register that right now. He was too excited, too _eager _for what he had planned. Euphoria had hit him in full, and nothing could kill his confidence at the moment! Finally he reached the door that he had been searching for, wrapping his fingers around the cold handle and giving it a twist.

It opened with a creak of hinges to alert the study's only occupant of the intrusion on his solitude. Stepping one foot inside, Daniel let the candle lead as he peeked in. The fire in the hearth was burning strong, as if a log or two had just been added to kindle it. It lit the small study quite well, revealing the shelves of books and the desk against the far wall, along with the two chairs positioned to half-face the fireplace near the window. It was there that his target sat, and they spotted one another. Daniel stepped inside swiftly, closing the door behind him and swallowing hard.

Alexander's amber eyes were alive with the light of the fire, and it struck something deep within the Englishman, like a poker to his own desire. Though the Baron's stern expression might have seemed frightening to a less confident Daniel, the Englishman felt nothing but anticipation. After all in his dreams that expression usually led to something good! "Daniel?" Alexander's rich voice was music to his ears, and the younger man set the candle onto a nearby table, reaching down to clench his fingers into his knee-length nightgown.

"_Alexander._" Daniel replied as if in equal greeting as he slowly approached the Baron. The Englishman's fingers continued to move in a slow crawling motion, hiking up the end of his nightgown by about an inch for each step that he took.

"Are you well?" Alexander questioned, one pale eyebrow raised into a high arch. But Daniel caught the Baron's gaze dropping down, settling on the pale thighs which were now almost completely bare. The firelight cast subtle shadows across that smooth flesh, practically glistening due to the light sheen of sweat that covered Daniel's skin. The nightgown clung to his chest and side as well, and one shoulder looked ready to slip off at any moment. The Englishman's shoulder-length brown hair was mussed from his tossing and turning, and his face was flushed, though his eyes seemed a little hazy.

"_I'm hot._" Daniel explained as he came to a stop directly in front of the Baron, nightgown now obscenely high on his thighs. The light from the fire now shone from behind the Englishman, penetrating that flimsy white shirt to show a perfect silhouette through it. Daniel _was _a bit thinner than he had been when he first arrived at Brennenburg, but the young man was far from unattractive. Only then did Alexander raise his gaze back to Daniel's face.

"Then I think perhaps you should lay dow—_Daniel_!?" Alexander's voice pitched just as Daniel moved, spreading his thighs as he let himself fall forward, sliding his knees on either side of the Baron's legs to straddle them. He rest his bare backside down on those smooth trousers, letting go of his nightgown to reach for Alexander's shoulders. Curling his fingers into the Baron's white shirt, Daniel's voice came out between a whisper and a whine.

"_Please don't make me wait any longer_!" Daniel would give a small grunt next, as Alexander's own hands pressed on the Englishman's shoulders.

"Stop this Daniel; you've been drinking."

"So? I-it was only a little. I drank a bottle like I said I would; to sleep. But instead, I thought I would finish what we started." Releasing the older man's shoulders, he took up one of the Baron's wrists instead. Before the other man could properly react, Daniel took two fingers in between his damp lips. His tongue delved between them, licking lightly before he gave a hard suck and a small groan. Alexander's face went red, the first time that Daniel had seen such a color on the stern older man! But the baron yanked his hand back, leaving Daniel's mouth feeling very empty.

"You've taken this far enough, Daniel. There is nothing to finish here. Go to your room." Alexander ordered. Any other time, Daniel would have cringed and obeyed such a tone immediately! But now he only smiled, giving his head a small shake as he pressed his hips in closer, hissing as his sensitive and half-hard member brushed against the front of Alexander's trousers.

"I'm not a child, so stop treating me like one! I _know _what I'm asking, and I know what I want!" Daniel's breath was growing shorter, and he was shuddering now and then, as if his lungs were fluttering from within his chest. His slender fingers reached up to run through the baron's long white hair, smiling at the cool and silky feel of it. His wrists were grabbed roughly, but the pleased little groan that Daniel gave was enough to shock Alexander into stillness for another moment. "What if I told you I let Herbert fuck me?" Daniel asked quickly. Alexander frowned, curling one lip as if in distaste.

"What?"

"And if I told you there were others? Would you feel better then?" Daniel's voice was hopeful, his smile small, but his eyes excited. "I told you, I know what I want. You're _exactly _what I want, Alexander. Please_, please _fuck me_._ I need it_ so _badly_,_" Daniel gave a grind of his hips against the Baron's, though his breath hitched this time, and he gave a small cough. Alexander's own lips were parted now, his breath a little heavier as well. "_Please Alexander. If you don't take me, I fear I'll go mad_!" Daniel whined, toes curling as he ground his hips again. This time he swore he felt something pressing back, and his heart was pounding like a caged bird against his ribs. He felt lightheaded, dizzy even. "_I know… you want me. You've, ooh, you've watched me_!"

"I've been _concerned._" Alexander growled through gritted teeth, though his breath was nearly hissing between them now. His grip on Daniel's wrists was painfully tight, but he wasn't stopping those slowly gyrating hips.

"Well stop it! You've helped me in every other way; it's the last I ask of you. Please, use me. It's the only way I can pay you back. Give us both what we need, what we_ deserve._" Daniel leaned in close, his breath hot and humid as it mingled with the Baron's own. Alexander's breath smelled of sweet wine, and as Daniel licked his own lips, his tongue managed to swipe the older man's as well. That was all it took for Alexander's dam to break, and he released Daniel's wrists to wrap his arms around that thin waist and pull him up flush against his chest.

Their kiss was almost painfully hard, and Daniel groaned into it with all of his heart. Alexander tasted just like his breath, though the taste of wine was bitterer than the scent. That was how it was; what you wanted was never quite as good as what you got. Their tongues slid against one another's slickly, pushing, wrestling for dominance over the kiss. However Daniel felt his awareness slipping, and his heart was leaping furiously in his chest. As if sensing the Englishman's stress to breathe, Alexander broke the kiss, though his lips went right for Daniel's neck. The sting was so powerful that it gave Daniel a shock, and he cried out as he was bitten. He was quite sure that could have drawn blood, but a shudder of pleasure was following within moments as he felt a warm tongue bathing the marks left behind.

Daniel felt himself grow a little heavier, and he clenched his fingers into Alexander's shirt as not to fall. It was only then that the Baron would stop, pulling back to give the Englishman a questioning glance. Daniel tried to focus again, but his vision had gone blurry. He didn't realize how shallow that his breath had grown, and now that he did he realized he _couldn't _breathe at all! Daniel prayed that he was dreaming, that he hadn't really just ruined his only chance, but there was no doubt that the voice calling his name and asking questions was a dream, was there? That had never happened in his dreams. He felt the hot tears streak down over his cheeks as he closed his eyes, and he couldn't feel the Baron's shirt between his fingers any longer.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been a while since Alexander had noticed Daniel's change in behavior. At first he'd though that all of the dreams which kept the Englishman up at night were simply nightmares. He soon realized that the young man had begun to abuse laudanum once again, leaving him unfocused and more easily confused during the day. Daniel asked the same questions multiple times, and he even began to point out the obvious. One sleepless night of the Baron's own, the sound of Daniel's voice had led him to the guest room in which his friend was staying. Silently he had opened the door to the connected study, peeking into the bedroom. He'd suspected another nightmare was taking place, but what he saw instead had burned an image into his mind that he had been unable to erase.

Daniel's blankets had been cast aside, which didn't seem like a very good idea considering the cold drafts which often plagued the decrepit castle. Such thoughts had only lasted an instant, as the state of Daniel's situation was more than a little distracting. Daniel's lithe body lay stretched out on the bed, one hand above his head. His nightgown was bunched up all the way to his bare chest, as if he had only managed to get it that far before giving up. The Englishman's left hand rest—no, it _caressed _over his own chest slowly, those nimble fingers pinching one nipple and earning a sharp hiss of breath. His right hand was wrapped firmly around his fully erect sexual organ, something which Alexander found both alarming and fascinating.

Oh, he knew just what hewas doing, of course. The Baron was more surprised that Daniel was able to lose himself in such pleasures at a time like this! The Englishman's skin glistened with sweat, his chest rising and falling swiftly with each heavy and audible breath, knees slightly bent and pale thighs spread wide. His back was curved into a near perfect bow, toes curling as he pressed his head back into the pillow. The sounds which the Baron had thought to be distress turned out to be anything but! Daniel's whimpers were near sobs, his gasps and groans easily mistakable for pain or anguish. For a man so accustomed to the sounds of men being tortured, it was an understandable mistake.

After that night Daniel had begun to behave strangely towards him. His eyes lingered on the Baron each time he turned his gaze to him for approval. Something so simple as a casual brush of hands as another instrument of torture was handed over lasted longer than need be. Daniel would press back in to Alexander's taller body any time that he had to physically guide those otherwise careless hands. The Englishman had begun to lose weight as his appetite diminished, and the shadows under his eyes had become more pronounced. It was at that time that Alexander had demanded that his friend cut back on the laudanum. Daniel swore that he would, thought it was seem that he hadn't honored that promise.

Tonight had been nothing but a disaster. The Englishman's clumsy seduction and probing questions had made it terribly clear to the Baron what his intentions were. But Alexander had no interest in such relations; as he knew all too well that they only managed to complicate matters. They made things _personal, _and that was the last thing he needed. Daniel was too touched by the Shadow, and just too damaged. There was no way that he could pass through the portal like that, and they didn't have time, nor did Alexander have the trust, to be honest with the boy. And yet, in the end, he had been unable to resist.

Daniel's naked thighs, clinging night shirt, and overheated body pressed tightly against his own had been enough to stir Alexander's long dormant lust. Not to mention that filthy little mouth of his! And then, to pass out! Daniel had succeeded in his quest to seduce the abstinent Baron, but his disobedience had kept him from achieving the fulfillment he so desperately desired. It served him right. Alexander was determined to punishDaniel for his audacity, but first, he had to wait for his little fool to wake up.

In his restless dreams he was plagued by the Shadow, and voices hurling accusations towards him or whispering desperate pleas right into his ear. They all came from that endless darkness, just outside the tiny realm of light which he always stood in. Sitting down meant lowering the light, and then he wouldn't be able to see the ceiling above him. If he couldn't see it, it wasn't there. That meant that the Shadow owned that as well. He knew this dream; he had it down to a system! But as always, once he began to stir awake he would attempt to move his legs. As a result the Daniel inside of the dream would begin to lose strength in his own, falling to the floor. The Englishman's eyes opened swiftly, just a split second before the black and red hands had seized him. Lips parted for a hurried gasp of air, and his body began to tremble. A fine sweat had appeared on his brow, and he reached up to wipe it away with the back of his hand. That was when he caught sight of the Baron, sitting on a chair by his bedside.

With a small cry of surprise, Daniel felt his pulse quicken at once. To his dismay, he couldn't recall how he had gotten here! He could remember waking at some time during the night, and he swore he had felt the cold stone of the castle floors under his feet. Assuming he had gone for a walk to calm himself, he swallowed hard. "Ha…have you been there long?" He stuttered, noting that the morning light was pouring in through the windows. Alexander raised one pale brow, arms crossing over his chest. The wooden chair creaked as he sat back in it, and even that sound grated on Daniel's ears.

"Do you mean to tell me that you don't remember?" Alexander asked coolly, sending a small panic through the Englishman. Swallowing again, Daniel reached up to brush a lock of brown hair behind his ear.

"I, I went for a walk? Did I perhaps pass out somewhere?" Flashes of a candle's flame flittered through his mind. But there was a bigger fire as well; a fireplace?

"_Think on it._" Alexander ordered, and Daniel flinched. The feeling of dread came easily to him, and he knew it well enough to think it was simply the side effect of the laudanum. Glancing off to the side, he focused very hard on the images that he _could _recall. Cold stone, a candle in his hand, and the creak of a door opening. A fireplace, and; Daniel's eyes widened, and he felt a rush of heat from head to toe, glancing to Alexander in alarm.

"_My God, _tell me I didn't! T-that I didn't,"

"_Accost _me in my private study? Yes, Daniel, you did." Alexander finished for him, and Daniel wondered if he had ever heard the Baron sound quite so angry before. Though the older man didn't raise his voice at all, there was an edge to it that was undeniably intimidating. Daniel's throat felt tight, and he found himself struggling to speak. He needed to explain himself! While a part of him wanted to blame the laudanum, he knew the Baron was no fool. Though Daniel couldn't recall every word that had been said, he could well enough imagine the nature of what he had spoken, if it was anything like his dreams.

"_I'm sorry!_" He whined at last.

"Sorry isn't enough." Alexander chided, frowning now. "Your kind are all the same, fueled by one lust or another. I had thought your addiction to be knowledge, considering how you ended up here. Perhaps I was wrong." Of course Daniel assumed that by 'your kind', Alexander meant those that were addicted to something. Shame flooded him, and Daniel sat up slowly, hands wringing the fabric of his nightgown in his lap.

"A-Alexander, I," he swallowed. "I _am _sorry! It's just that I've been _dreaming, _oh God the dreams! The only time that I don't have nightmares, they involve you! I don't know why I'm getting them, and I can't seem to make them stop! The laudanum worked for a little while, but then they got _worse. _I could no longer sleep, and I couldn't…" He took a shuddering breath, his voice lowering to a nearly inaudible tone. "_I couldn't find release by myself._" The Englishman's red eyes were brimming with tears of pure frustration, and his knuckles were white from gripping his gown so tightly. Alexander allowed that tension to build for a few strained breaths. When the Baron finally spoke, it was with a sigh.

"I know. Or at least, I'd gathered most of it by now." Alexander stated. Both brows rose when Daniel's face shifted into one of shock and humiliation. Brows pinched tight, lips slightly slack, eyes wide, and lashes still wet with the unshed tears.

"_You wha,_"

"I found your lack of focus disconcerting, and so I came to check up on you when I thought I heard you experiencing another nightmare. I didn't wish to embarrass you, and so I kept what I observed to myself. I'm aware of your recent abuse of laudanum, and know that because of it your focus suffered even further. Whatever steps that I considered taking in order to help you, none of them were what you suggested in my study." Surprisingly, Alexander's voice wasn't as disgusted as Daniel had imagined it would be. Gone from the Englishman was all the confidence and lack of fear that he had shown while sleep-deprived and drugged. All that remained was the obsession, the driving need, and the realization that Alexander had caught on. To most of it, at least. He'd prefer the Baron to think of him as a solitary sinner rather than a harlot! Daniel reached up to cover his mouth with both hands, wishing he could cut out his tongue for offending him so.

"W-what I said about, about others," The Englishman nearly whispered through the steeple of his hands.

"It matters not." Alexander cut in, but Daniel only gave a small sound of protest.

"It does! It matters a great deal to me that you might think badly of me for something that I said while I wasn't myself!"

"Daniel, what you did or did not do with your body prior to arriving in Brennenburg has no value whatsoever to me." Alexander explained, shocking his guest into silence. While Daniel knew that Alexander was a man intellectually advanced in this day and age, it almost seemed too impossible that he was also socially beyond the prudish culture that the Englishman had been raised in. Daniel moved his right hand to brush his hair behind his ear, hesitating to reply. Another memory flashed through his mind, and he swallowed hard. His fingers trembled as they slowly slid down along the side of his neck. He stopped when he felt a pin-prick of pain, eyes widening as he traced the outline of the mark. He could feel the indentations left by teeth, and the soreness surrounding them.

"You _bit _me." He stated in bewilderment. "Why did you bite me?" He turned his puzzled gaze onto the older man, who frowned.

"I suppose I too could be considered guilty of taking leave of my senses, albeit temporarily." Alexander stated, his solid stare challenging Daniel to press the matter. Daniel only placed his hand over the bruise, his heart beginning to race as the last pieces of his memory came back to him. He'd actually succeeded! The Baron had kissed him back, and hard. Alexander had even bitten him, which was every bit as exciting as he'd dreamed it would be. Even after he'd said those terrible things about himself, Alexander had responded. Daniel swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing as his skin began to tingle around the area of the bite.

"C-can you do it again?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Alexander's brows rose.

"Bite you?" The older man inquired. Daniel's brief look of guilt said it all, but he protested anyway.

"N-no, I mean yes, if that's what you prefer. What I meant was, can you take leave of your senses again? F-for me, and just this once!" Daniel curled the fingers of the hand on his neck, digging his nails into that bruise somewhat. While he never considered himself a masochist before, and he generally didn't enjoy pain, there was something about the fact that he had been marked that ignited something within him. A deep seeded longing to be so desired, perhaps, as to make someone want to claim you. Even if that wasn't the Baron's intention at all, it was all about the fantasy, wasn't it? But Alexander was frowning again, uncrossing his arms and placing his hands on top of his thighs. Daniel didn't feel very hopeful, given that expression, and he knew he had to act fast. He reached down to toss the blankets from his legs, turning to face the Baron and sitting back on his heels. His hands shook like leaves caught in a breeze as he curled his fingers into the hem of his nightgown. "_Please,_" Daniel's begged, his voice breaking in the middle of that single word. His gown had slowly become more and more stifling, and the act of lifting it slowly revealed his still feverish skin enough that he shivered as the cooler air chilled his thighs. "Please, Alexander, I wasn't lying to you. I will absolutely go mad if you don't," Daniel flinched when the older man stood swiftly, clenching his gown. Alexander's face was red, but his voice suggested that it was from anger when he spoke.

"Your repeated attempts to seduce me are clumsy and entirely unwelcome." The Baron muttered. Daniel's breath hitched, feeling as if he'd just been struck in the gut.

"Not entirely!" The Englishman reminded, forgetting his gown in favor of reaching for Alexander's wrist. His fingertips barely brushed the cuff of the Baron's sleeve before it was yanked out of reach. The older man's rich, commanding voice had reached true irritation as he pulled his lip into what resembled a sneer.

"I pityyou." Alexander practically hissed. Daniel panicked when the Baron turned as if to leave, reaching out with both arms. This time his right wrist was caught, but the left managed to catch hold the older man's trousers at his hip. "Let, _go._" Alexander's right hand rose, and Daniel only flinched, closing his eyes just before the palm struck his face. Tears rose to his eyes as the sting set in at once, and he recoiled as much as possible without relinquishing his hold on Alexander's trousers. Of all things, he hadn't expected his face to be hit! To be slapped was demeaning in several ways, and it was an all too familiar occurrence for the troubled Englishman. Opening his eyes, his vision was blurred by the tears of determination.

"_Please,_" he begged again, "I'll do whatever it takes. I want to do it right, the rituals! Th-this is why I never asked you before, not even when you scolded me for my sloppy work. It was a last resort to burden you with this. With my," Daniel swallowed, but he couldn't rid himself of the lump stuck in his throat, "_My sickness_." The Englishman murmured the last of that sentence. The sting of the slap was only intensified by the blush already there, but it wasn't nearly enough to shake his resolve. He'd already humiliated himself in the worst way in front of the Baron, so the way he saw it he had nothing else to lose. Alexander's expression wasn't pity at all, but something familiar. Daniel knew the look of a man who repressed his every desire; he saw it each time that he looked into a mirror. Alexander's expression shifted however, his brows relaxing and lips straightening into a more neutral line.

"You want me to touch you?" The Baron asked. Daniel almost hesitated because of the flat tone of that question, but his fingers curled tighter into the fabric of Alexander's trousers, his right hand still held captive by the older man's near-bruising grasp. Biting his lower lip, Daniel managed a single nod. He wasn't prepared for the rough pull on his right wrist, giving a small sound of panic as he struggled to keep from falling face first off of the bed. Releasing Alexander's trousers, his left hand managed to grab the sheets instead, and keep his balance for long enough for his gown-entangled legs to slide over the side of the bed. The wood of the floor was cold against the bottoms of his bare feet, which slapped against it as he stumbled. Daniel was led to turn around to face the bed before he would find his hand freed. The Baron's hands came to rest on the back of his shoulders, pushing to urge the Englishman to bend over the side of the bed. Daniel didn't bother to catch himself with his hands, allowing his slapped cheek to press against the cool sheets, his hair half-obscuring his face. The pleasant coolness would become humid after only a few heated breaths through his parted lips, and he curled his fingers into the sheets under his chest.

Alexander's hands left him only for a moment. Daniel felt the air rush up to greet his heated skin before he even realized that his gown had been lifted. It was pulled up all the way to his shoulders, where it was held in place by Alexander's left hand. Even last night he had managed to keep his nightgown on, and so he was unprepared for the sudden and overpowering rush of shame that came along with that sudden exposure. It hit his chest like cold water, and he bit his lower lip and closed his eyes. More troubling yet was the excitement that followed, provoking a small wiggle from the conflicted young man. He could _feel _Alexander's eyes on his skin, and his anticipation was so strong that he jumped when the first touch came. Calloused fingertips ran under his right shoulder blade, and Daniel sucked in a sharp breath though his teeth. He knew what the Baron had found; a scar. There were several scattered about his back, from his shoulders to his knees! Alexander kindly kept whatever thoughts he had about this to himself, for which Daniel would be eternally grateful. The Baron's fingertips stuck to his damp skin here and there, while they moved more smoothly in others, and it didn't take long before Daniel began to shudder under that sinfully light caress. The moment that hand left his skin, he gave a quiet sound of loss.

_Smack_! The strike to his right buttock was such a shock that Daniel didn't react right away. _Smack-smack_! Two more fell in the same place, and only then did the Englishman manage a quiet gasp. "You have the _audacity_," Alexander began to scold him harshly to go along with the merciless swats of his hand,"To disturb me in my private study!" _Smack-smack-smack, _a whimper became caught in the back of Daniel's throat, but he refused to let it free. He breathed through his nose in short, shallow breaths. "The _impudence _to touch me," Those swats became harder, three to each side before he switched to the other, "Without my permission!" The sting of that single slap to his cheek was entirely forgotten under the onslaught of those powerful strikes. Daniel curled his fingers tighter into the sheets, closing his eyes and attempting to shut away the pain, as he had always done before.

"You've been sloppy," _smack, _"Careless," _smack, _"And willfully ignorant of your health!" It felt as if each slap was more painful that the last, enough to force Daniel's body to break out in a fresh sweat. He knew that what he had done was wrong, and that he never would have behaved in such a way if not for the laudanum. _Smack-smack-smack, _swift and heavy came those unrelenting smacks of Alexander's palm. Daniel's lips parted, releasing all of his breath along with the captive whimper. Even that pathetic vocalization felt validating somehow. He was hurting, suffering, and there was no other way that he could let it show! But all of his actions had led to this; the retribution for his bad behavior. _Smack-smack-smack_! More gasps and half-choked whimpers or higher-pitched groans followed, and Daniel could feel his body building up tension like a spring. His back arched, heels left the floor, and his body began to tremble as the pent up desire inside of him begged to be released. Oh but it hurt, and when the turmoil between the conflicting reactions of his body simply became too much, Daniel broke his silence.

"_A-Alexander, please_!" Daniel cried. He was somewhat surprised to find that those punishing blows came to a stop, allowing his body to relax against the bed as he turned his face to rest his forehead against the mattress.

As for Alexander, the impassioned cry of his name had simply surprised him. He'd taken the Englishman's trembling for something else entirely, it seemed. Daniel's shoulders remain hunched, but his hips now rest easy against the bed, knees bent slightly. The nightgown that was wrapped around Alexander's left fist was a bit damp with his own sweat, just above that lightly scarred back, which was heaving with heavy pants of breath. It was a wonder that the Englishman could breathe with his face pressed to the sheets as it was. The Baron's eyes traveled back down to the target of his aggression. The palm of his hand burned and itched from his efforts, but he was sure that Daniel's red-flushed bottom must be feeling much worse. It wasn't what he'd meant to do at all! Once he'd had Daniel over the bed like that, exposed and vulnerable, he'd recalled how he'd been made to give in to temptation last night. And for what? To be left with the Englishman's unconscious body on his lap? Now that the brunt of his anger was soothed, Alexander couldn't help but recall just how good that warm body had felt against his own.

Alexander had seen as well as felt Daniel's damp thighs against the outside of his clothed ones last night. His bottom on the other hand, had only been a soft weight on his lap. Tentatively, his fingertips pressed, indenting into that pink and pliable flesh. The Englishman's skin was impossibly hot there, and a little sticky with sweat. Slowly trailing his fingertips up over the curve of that cheek, he marveled at the white lines left in their wake. The Baron watched with interest how those white lines swiftly flushed back to red, paying no attention to the small sound that Daniel gave in response to his ministrations. For countless years now, Alexander had spent his time welting, burning, and cutting the flesh of humans. And never, not once, had it ever given him this feeling. Spreading his fingers out, he grasped that hot cheek without warning, squeezing tightly. Daniel lifted his head, gasping sharply, and lifting onto the balls of his feet as he pressed his hips into the bed as if to escape that hold. But the Englishman's hands twisted into the blankets a moment later, pushing back against the Baron, enough so that his heated backside pressed firmly against the older man's hips.

There came a collective gasp when both parties discovered the effect that spanking Daniel had had on Alexander, as the Englishman found himself pushed up against the rather obvious bulge in his elder's trousers. Daniel's breath hitched, but just as he began to look over his shoulder, Alexander's hand released the nightgown. Those slender fingers tangled into Daniel's hair instead, forcing his cheek back to the surface of the bed. The Englishman hissed in protest, but in a rather desperate, bold move, he ground his backside into Alexander's hips. The older man clenched his jaw, and his lips parted for a hiss of breath, unable to deny the pleasure from that simple action. It seemed that they were once again at an impasse, and it was left to Alexander to make a decision. If he left Daniel like this now, the Englishman would only continue to become a hindrance to him. On the other hand, if he gave in, Daniel's performance might actually improve. It seemed a relatively small price to pay in the end. He released his grip on the Englishman's backside, earning a sigh of relief from the man below him. "You'll regret this." Alexander stated suddenly. Daniel tried to shake his head, but the fist tangled into his hair prevented the action.

"N-never." Daniel panted instead. "Please, please Alexander, _help me_," the brunet pressed his hips back again, but this time, the older man allowed it. "At least this once!" Daniel pleaded, fingers practically kneading at the sheets. "I so badly need it—_ow_!" Daniel yelped when Alexander's palm came down on the side of one already pink cheek of his bottom.

"Cease this sort of talk. Have you no decency left?" Even as he spoke, Alexander stood up straight. His fingers slid free from Daniel's hair, and he shook the stray strands from his damp fingers. Daniel whimpered, biting back a sob.

"I don't know! How can I?" The Englishman groaned, crossing his arms in front of him and burying his head into them. "I can't even think straight anymore."

"Hush then. This will all be over shortly." Alexander stated calmly, and his left hand pressed to Daniel's shoulders again. His right, however, lifted up to take three fingers into his mouth, sucking to work up as much saliva as he could. Taking a step back from the Englishman, he pulled them free again, lowering his hand. Daniel's body went rigid the moment that he felt those slick digits pressing between his abused cheeks to rub at his entrance. The first went in smoothly enough, slender and covered with saliva as it was. Daniel lifted his head from his arms and the bed, lips slack in shameless pleasure as he was first penetrated, at long last! The second finger came nudging in shortly after, and Daniel felt the first twinge of discomfort.

"Wa-_ait_," Daniel's breath hitched as the second was forced inside. Gripping the sheets tightly, his heels lifted from the floor as he pressed his hips forward to escape the sting that being stretched too quickly caused. Alexander's hand pulled back, coming down on the Englishman's sore bottom for another hard slap. Daniel jumped; conflicted over his own reaction to the burn of that area and the now dull throb that Alexander's fingers had created inside of him. God had surely abandoned him completely, because both sensations were startling pleasant.

"Hips down, and relax." Alexander's voice remained calm somehow, though it had dropped into a most tantalizingly husky tone. That voice seemed to reverberate inside of the Englishman's head, and he lowered his heels to the floor, spreading them apart a little so that he could stand more comfortably, as well as offer himself more completely to the Baron. He heard Alexander give a swift intake of breath, and Daniel bit his lower lip in anticipation.

"_Sorry,_" the Englishman whispered, forehead against the sheets and arms above it.

"Accept what I give you, or I'll leave you like this." Alexander's threat sent a tingle of panic across Daniel's hypersensitive skin, so flushed and aroused that he would do anything to finally reach satisfaction.

"_Y-yes, I'm sorry, Sir_." Daniel whimpered. Alexander seemed satisfied, and those fingers returned to resume their task of preparing him. This time the Englishman only gasped, shoulders tensing as they slid back inside of him. He willed himself not to tense up, other than to clench his hands into fists, nails digging crescents into his palms. The air felt cold against his damp and trembling thighs, and the heat due to the gown trapped about his shoulders and neck caused his skin to itch there. Forefront in his mind however, was the pleasurable ache caused by Alexander's busy fingers. He could feel them inside of him. Not so much a sensation, save for just where they entered him, but a sort of fullness. His breath shuddered for a near sob as the third finger began to wiggle its way inside to join the others. There was hardly any saliva left, but the friction was a small consequence to pay.

As for Alexander, he was inevitably drawn to the increasingly puzzling behavior of his guest. Though Daniel did his best to relax as he had been told, he tensed up now and then, his body gripping those three fingers tightly as he shuddered. Alexander thrust his fingers in deeply, earning a muffled but shameless groan from the Englishman. Alexander had never seen a _man _in this position quite so desperate before. Turning his wrist over, the Baron skillfully curled his fingers, searching out Daniel's prostate and rubbing it gently. "_Aa,_" Daniel gasped, "_Alexander_!" he cried, with his back arching, toes curling, and his heels breaking the order of not lifting as his body clenched. The Baron felt his own face grow hot at the sound of his name on those trembling lips. He pulled his fingers back as soon as Daniel's body relaxed, earning a whine of lament from the Englishman.

"Hush," Alexander ordered, lifting his hand from Daniel's back as well. "Take off your gown, and get on the bed. Lie on your stomach." He ordered curtly, and Daniel hurried to obey. The Englishman stood as Alexander stepped back, slipping his gown up and over his head to free his arms, and tossing it aside to the floor. Climbing onto the bed and laying down, he shuddered as his erection pressed against the cool sheets. Even as neglected as it was, it just wouldn't go down! That was precisely the problem, of course. He glanced to the Baron curiously, but to Daniel's dismay, Alexander did not undress, choosing to climb into the bed behind him right away. One clothed knee pressed between his thighs, and the fabric became affixed to them due to the dampness of the Englishman's skin. Daniel spread them wide in response, lifting his hips a little in the process. Alexander gave a _tsk _with his tongue, and though Daniel had no way of knowing if it was from disapproval or not, shame couldn't quite reach him right now. Not when he was so close! The Baron wasted no time in unfastening his trousers, and Daniel made the decision not to glance back behind him. No matter how badly that he wanted it, the mind had ways of making you flinch in anticipation. Instead he bit down on his lower lip, closing his eyes as the bed creaked under their weight as Alexander moved behind him.

Alexander's hands rest beside him on the bed, and he spit into the other one's palm. Had this been less spur of the moment, he could have at least brought something for this, but you know what they said about desperate times. Alexander spread that saliva as generously as he could before guiding himself into place. Daniel released his captive lower lip from his teeth as he felt the head of the older man's arousal pushing into him. It was awfully hard to remain relaxed when it felt so good! He hissed in pleasure even as he felt his body stretched a bit further than he had been prepared for, and he felt that it only encouraged the fact that he hadn't been lying earlier. He'd been bluffing last night in the study; this wasn't something he had experienced before! Once the head was in, Alexander sank into his body slowly, hindered only by the Englishman's traitorous reflexes to tense up.

It was impossible to describe just how he felt, laying there in bed like that. Alexander was the man that he admired most in the world right now, and he had been the very object of Daniel's sordid obsession nearly from the moment that he had arrived. Every single inch of rigid flesh that sank into his willing body brought Daniel that much closer to bliss. He didn't care how pathetic that it sounded, even to himself! The countless sleepless nights of sexual dissatisfaction could finally be put to an end! The muffled whimper that he gave once Alexander's hips pressed against his still-tender backside was one of absolute relief. He only wished that the Baron had undressed, so he could feel every inch of heated skin against his own! Oh but this, this was just fine too! Daniel pressed back against the older man, simply to feel that surprisingly generous member shift inside of him. He received a quiet groan from Alexander as an extra reward, and it seemed that only then did it occur to him just what he had accomplished. Daniel had never felt so desirable in his entire life.

Alexander had only paused to assure himself that Daniel wouldn't unexpectedly tense, and as the first shallow, testing thrust only brought out a muffled whine of pleasure from the younger man, it seemed that wouldn't be an issue. His right hand joined the left, pressing into the mattress on the other side of Daniel as he pulled his hips back. The first hollow slap of flesh brought out a sharp gasp from the Englishman's parted lips, and that shorter body rocked with the force of the next thrust. Truthfully, Daniel was pleasantly surprised! Alexander began the pace of his thrusts every bit as demanding as the Englishman had dared to dream about. The bed creaked under them with every move, and Daniel's breath grew audible and heavy within moments. Even the burn that the friction brought only served as a reminder that he had succeeded, and even if it was unspeakable shameful, he was proud of it! If he was lucky, he would be sore tomorrow, so that he could carry this night with him all day long.

Alexander's own ragged breaths soon joined the chorus, his grunts of effort prompting Daniel to be freer with his own. Completing that circle of encouragement, Daniel's higher, yet quiet moans provoked the Baron to increase the force of his thrusts. Alexander was anything but gentle with him, and yet the younger man's voice only peaked with pleasure in response. His own arousal was alive and well beneath him, brushing the sheets and staining them with the dampness of his precum. Frustration began to build up, and for a moment Daniel almost panicked. If this wasn't enough to make him come, it would all be for nothing! His right hand moved, sliding down under his own body, wrapping his fingers around his member tightly. He heard Alexander give a sharp sigh from above him as he began to stroke himself swiftly, though whether it was in approval or disgust, he didn't know. And it didn't matter anymore. Alexander could find him as pathetic as he wished, as long as he continued to use his body like this!

The sudden rush of pleasure that came over him was like being plunged underwater, and Daniel lost himself entirely as he came. He barely registered the cries of pleasure as his own, his body overtaken with a powerful shudder, and his mind became nothing but a fuzzy grey. Not black, not pulsing red, and not a drug dulled mess. Alexander wasn't so quick, however. Though the sensation of Daniel's body tightening around him was indescribably delightful, it wasn't quite enough. He _was _still angry with the young Englishman, after all. All this time, all the _restraint _that he had shown, when he was this close to going home! With that driving thought the Baron lifted his right hand, moving it to the nape of Daniel's neck. Far from frightened by this, the Englishman replied with a short gasp of excitement. Rough, tender, it would have all been the same. He'd dreamt of every scenario possible, and desperately wished for all of them. So when those harder thrusts came, Daniel's exhausted voice returned to accompany them. In truth, Alexander was almost impressed by the younger man's endurance. The Baron's pace faltered as he came, growing uneven and short. They slowed to a stop soon after, and he nearly collapsed onto the shorter man, his breath ragged. Seems he'd overexerted himself a bit, this body wasn't what it used to be.

Daniel gave a quiet, content hum as soreness set in quickly. His body ached in so many ways, but it also tingled pleasantly as the air chilled his feverish skin. Alexander's weight, the heat of his body through his clothing, and the breath that tickled at the back of his neck all melted into one blissful sensation. Finally, Daniel had escaped his maddening desire for satisfaction. Alexander was a life saver in so many ways, and he hadn't even failed him in this aspect! The Baron was pulling back all too soon however, and Daniel's heart leapt into his throat. "Wait!" He turned onto his side as Alexander moved to the edge of the bed.

"What is it?" The older man asked without so much as glancing in his direction, grabbing a bit of the sheet to wipe himself off. Daniel's face burned, and fear crept back into his mind.

"Do… do you hate me?" He asked quietly, lowering his eyes to the sheets. Alexander gave a sharp sigh, readjusting his pants. As the seconds of silence slipped by, Daniel's heart began to race.

"No." Came the quiet answer at last. Before Daniel could even speak, the Baron continued. "And if you need to do that again, just tell me outright. The rituals are important, and I need you to,"

"I will!" Daniel assured quickly. "I, I'll tell you. And I'll do them right, I promise." Was he dreaming? The Baron would do this again? It almost made this crumbling castle and hellish rituals endurable. Alexander stood without another word, heading for the door. Daniel watched as he left, chewing at his lower lip. Once he was alone, the chill really began to set in. But each ache was a reminder of his complete satisfaction, and he pulled the sheets up over his tingling body without any thought to what a mess that he was. No use trying to wash everything up now, he was much too tired. He simply scooted over a little, closing his eyes to bask in the sore bliss he'd been left in. _Again, _Alexander had said. All he had to do was ask. He'd already proved that he could do that! If he could just spend his nights like this, maybe, just maybe he could get through this.


End file.
